MN Fan Fiction: Forbidden Fruit

An overwhelming grief knotted their stomachs when they were climbing up the stairs to their new apartment. Nupur and Gunjan, twenty and two months were twins to a rich business tycoon. Born and brought up in Dallas, Mumbai was a contrasting space all together for the lasses.

Nupur and Gunjan were each other's polar opposites and hence, the way they perceived the change displayed contradiction of opinions too. The lively and flamboyant Nupur, who believed in living at the edge, was absolutely happy of where her life had led her. Whereas, her younger sister (Nupur was nine seconds older to Gunjan, due to which she would always dominate Gunjan.) was way too much apprehensive of the idea, for she was a young lady of pessimistic thoughts and innocence.

Gunjan wiped sweat off her forehead and inserted the keys in the keyhole and unlocked it. Overly enthusiastic Nupur pushed open the door in haste and made her way right to the living room. Gunjan only followed her. Even though, she was still apprehensive ' she totally believed her sister and her instincts and tried and hoped for the best.

Except for the moaning of the fridge, and the flow of water through the pipes ' there was no other sound in the room. No other significant person in the house, Gunjan and Nupur Bhushan were to start anew after their mother's death in a new country, alone in a 3 BHK apartment.

Gunjan maintained perfect silence while Nupur prepared two-minute noodles and made way to the dining area. Nupur offered Gunjan a bowl from the tray while sucking in a noodle and making an exceedingly annoying sound to which, Gunjan could only make a face.

'Oh, freak! You scared me,' teased Nupur, making the same sound.

'Nupur, grow up.' Gunjan replied and sipped in some water.

'Why do I always have to remind you? I am your elder sister.' She declared, for probably the 349^th time in her life.

'Right,' replied Gunjan and silence prevailed in the room again.

Nupur, who only wanted to make a conversation and lighten up her sister's mood, realized that Gunjan was in no mood to feel happy, or enjoy or tease her back. For, she was still not over the pain their mother's death caused them. Most part of their lives had been spent deprived of the caress and love of their parents, however ' their mother's death still was a shocker and totally unfortunate. None of the two knew she'd gotten cancer, an incurable disease.

Nupur knew she had to live life as it came, she neither held grudges nor regrets. Instead of crying over spilt milk, she would always cherish the moments she spent with her mother and thank her father to have made the decision of sending Gunjan and herself to India. She lived for the moment, in the moment and did not wish to change one bit.

Post their arrival in Mumbai, they went about the city and learnt all important directions especially the way to college. And at last, their college started on a Monday morning, eight days after they'd reached Mumbai.

Nupur would call her college, the Howard of India while Gunjan was on a mission to explore the library in the very first semester. They held onto each other while entering the premises of Excel College.

Gunjan like always was nervous enough to pee in her pants, as Nupur would always tease her however, that day ' Nupur found herself shivering too. For once, she felt apprehensive of the beginning they made. For once!

As they walked through the corridors, they witnessed a bunch of students of their age buzzing about like bees. They couldn't believe at first but in the end ' they got convinced of Mumbai being busier a place than Dallas, much busier.

Slowly, their nervousness washed away. They entered the principal's office as assigned and saw an aging woman, probably in her late forties presiding over the principal's chair and another lady standing adjacent to her, probably a teacher. Both the teachers seemed equally pleasant and affable. Gunjan and Nupur stole glances and were now much relieved.

'Good morning, young ladies.' Their principal greeted them.

'Good morning, Ms. Sharma.' They replied, in equally high spirits.

They glanced at the other lady standing in there as she introduced herself. 'I am Tamanna Khurana, the student counselor and your guide for a week, morning.'

This lady seemed pleasanter and even more offering to the girls. Nupur had even decided on her to be her favorite teacher ever on their way to the staff room.

'Suit yourselves, girls. I believe you are both students of Arts?' Tamanna cross-examined while seating herself on a chair.

'Yes Ma'am,' the girls replied.

For the first time in their lives, Nupur and Gunjan were clubbed in the same class. To which, Gunjan felt so much more relaxed and happy for, she couldn't make friends easily but now she wouldn't have been lonely in the first place.

By the end of the day, they were satisfied of the place they had landed up in. They'd never thought they'd ever come to India, and now that they were amidst so many pleasant people, this only added up to their happiness like a silver lining on the cloud.

Totally exhausted, the sisters ended up in the cafeteria before the parking lot and ordered two cold coffees and one sandwich for themselves. They always shared food, for their appetites were extremely less. One of the exceedingly few twin factors they shared. Everything including their faces, built and natures differed but their appetite.

'This is a cool place, sis.' Nupur exclaimed, biting her share of sandwich.

'It totally is and I'm glad we're here.' Gunjan replied, not with equal vigor though.

They ordered two more coffees for themselves and were still glued to their chairs, sisterly talking like always when a group of three boys and four girls entered the cafeteria and had everybody's eyes fixed on them, including the freshly admitted sisters.

In a minute or two, everybody got back to their own worlds as the group settled on a table. Nupur had her face toward the table they got seated on and she was perhaps the only person who had her eyes still fixed on them. Probably the fellow in dark blue right in front of her eyes!

Gunjan, who was engrossed in enjoying her coffee and reviewing her notes, did not notice the curiosity that had suddenly rose in her sister's eyes to get to know the fellow she eyed at.

The young man she was all eyes at, looked about her age maybe a year senior, though. His brown-hued eyes were mesmerizing and he did not speak much. Through the way he was dressed, she easily made out that he was one rich hunk of a guy. Apart from all these oh-so-delicious things, there was a lot of frustration visible in his eyes. For some reason she obviously wasn't aware of. He chose to keep silent and had the audacity to smoke in the cafeteria even after repeatedly being scolded by the manager. He wore an I-don't-care look, which actually wasn't a first witness for her but somehow, he intrigued her. Intrigued her beyond everybody's and her own imagination!

As soon as they were home, they headed to their respective rooms and threw themselves on the beds. Gunjan fell asleep as soon as she had pulled up her covers and removed her glasses however Nupur found herself ruminating till quite late in the night.

She reflected over the day, her first day in college. The teachers were welcoming and supportive. Everybody acted pleasantly and she'd totally grown fond of Ms. Tamanna. She believed that her idea of starting anew in India really worked, for both her and her sister.

However, the last bit of the day did not convince her much. She tossed in the bed, adjusted the pillow several hundred times but only in vain. She couldn't help but think of the guy she'd seen. She recollected, he'd worn a wooden essence perfume which only added to the extremely bewitching persona he had.

He was one bad, bad guy and that was for sure ' but his eyes and the look of his face were way too profound to be neglected due to the exterior he wore. And hence, Nupur decided to trust her instincts yet again and try to get to know the guy! At about one in the morning, Nupur could finally fall asleep and the last thought she had in mind was of the guy himself which left a gorgeous smile playing on her lips, throughout.